Low temperature plasma nitrocarburizing of 17-4PH martensitic stainless steel was conducted at 430℃ with and without rare earth (RE) addition. The microstructure, kinetics, microhardness, wear behavior as well as corrosion resistance of the modified layer were studied by optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Vickers microhardness tester, pin-on-disc tribometer and potentiodynamic polarization tests. The results show that the thickness of plasma RE nitrocarburized layer is much thicker than that formed by nitrocarburizing without RE addition. The incorporation of RE does not change the kind of the phases and the nitrocarburized layer consists mainly of nitrogen and carbon expanded martensite (α N ), γ -Fe 4 N and α -Fe with a trace of CrN phases. The surface microhardness of plasma nitrocarburized layer can be increased by 100 HV after RE addition. Wear resistance of the specimen can be apparently improved by low temperature plasma nitrocarburizing with and without RE addition and without sacrificing its corrosion resistance. Wear reduction effect of low temperature plasma nitrocarburizing with RE addition is better than that of the conventional one.
The properties and electronic structure of Fe under pressures of 0-30GPa have been studied by flrst principles employing the density functional theory（DFT）,the ultra-soft pseudo-potentials（USPP）and the generalized gradient approximation（GGA）.The calculating results show that there is a structural transition from magnetic body-centered cubic（bcc）to nonmagnetic hexagonal-close-packed（hcp）structure for Fe around 11 GPa pressure.There is a pseudogap both in the density of states（DOS）for bcc and hcp Fe.The pseudogap of bcc Fe is deeper and wider than that of hcp Fe.The elastic modulus is obtained by Voigt-Reuss-Hill averaging scheme.The results indicate that the elastic properties of bcc Fe enhance with pressure except for elastic stiffness constant C11, shear modulus G and elastic modulus E at the transition pressure,while the elastic properties of hcp Fe increase linearly with pressure.Magnetic bcc Fe is ductile,and hcp Fe becomes ductile from brittle around 25 GPa.
The pulse plasma nitrocarburizing for 30CrMnSiA steel was conducted at 560 °C for 8 h in mixed gases of N2:3H2 and different flow rates of rare earths (RE) addition. Effects of rare earths (RE) addition in the carrier gas on the surface morphology, phase structure and mechanical properties of the nitrocarburized layer were characterized by optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), microhardness testing and wear testing, respectively. The results showed that the surface phase structures changed from dual phases ε-Fe2-3N(C) and γ'-Fe4N(C) to phase Fe3C and incipient nitrides, and the nitrocarburized surface hardness value decreased slightly from 756 to 681 HV0.1 with the RE addition increasing in the carrier gas, and the corresponding morphology of the nitrocarburized surface was granular nitride group (diameter 0.8-1.5 μm) and compact-fine Fe3C stick and patch (mean size 100-300 nm), respectively. The wear resistance of the experimental steel could be improved remarkably by plasma RE nitrocarburizing. The nitrocarburized layer with Fe3C phase formed in the mixed gases of N2:3H2 and flow rate of 0.5 L/min RE addition showed the lowest friction coefficient and the narrowest wear track.)
Plasma nitrocarburizing of nanocrystallized (NC) 3J33 steel were carried out at 400 and 430 ℃ for 4 h in a mixed gas of N2:3H2 and different flow rates of rare earths (RE) La and Ce reagents in this paper. Effects of temperature, rare earth addition and its addition amount on the microstructure and hardness of the nitrocarburized layer of NC 3J33 steel were also investigated. Surface phase composition of the nitrocarburized samples was analyzed by X-ray diffraction. Metallurgical structure, La and Ce concentration and microhardness profiles of cross-sectional nitrocarburized samples were studied using an optical microscope, a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer and Vickers microhardness tester, respectively. The results showed that the surfaces of the nitrocarburized samples were mainly composed of γ'-Fe4N and α'-Fe (α-Fe dissolved with N and C) when the NC 3J33 steel was nitrocarburized at 400 ℃. As the temperature was enhanced up to 430 ℃, the surfaces consisted of γ'-Fe4N, α'-Fe and low nitrogen compound FeNx (x=0.0324-0.0989), and simple substance La was presented when RE flow rate was 0.1 L/min. The addition of La and Ce into nitrocarburized gas increased the thickness and hardness of the nitrocarburized layers. The samples nitrocarburized at 400 ℃ with RE flow rate of 0.025 L/min and 430 ℃ of 0.05 L/min possessed the thickest nitrocarburized layer, highest proportion of nitrides and hardness profile. RE elements could diffuse into the nitrocarburized layer and their concentration increased with temperature. The excess RE impeded the permeation of N, C elements and led to thinner compound layer as well as the diffusion layer.
A phase field model is developed to simulate the grain evolution of 17-4PH steel during cyclic heat treatment (CHT). Our simulations successfully reproduce the grain morphologies of every CHT. In the process of every CHT, phase transformation recrystallization happens. The recrystallized grains appear mainly on the original grain boundaries. The average grain size of 13.2 μm obtained by 1040℃×1 h solution treatment for this experimental steel can be refined to 2.2 μm after five CHT's. Furthermore, the effects of phenomenological parameters in our model are discussed.
In order to improve surface hardness and corrosion resistant property of 17-4PH martensitic stainless steel, the steel was plasma nitrocarburized at 560 °C for 2-24 h in a gas mixture of nitrogen, hydrogen and ethanol with rare earths (RE) addition. The experimental results showed that the modified layer was characterized by a compound layer containing two distinct zones (i.e. out 'dark zone' and inner 'white zone'). The inner 'white zone' was almost a precipitation free zone and had high hardness as well as good corrosion resistance. Anodic polarization test results showed that the specimens plasma nitrocarburized with RE addition had good corrosion resistance resulted mainly from their higher corrosion potentials, lower corrosion current densities and larger passive regions as compared with those of the untreated one.
